Every time Heavyocity releases something new I’m eager to see what they have been up to. I hold them in high regard when it comes to creating interesting and good sounding Kontakt libraries. Master Sessions (MS from now on) is apparently what seems to be a new series from Heavyocity. First in the release line we have Ensemble Drums which is available as a "Kits” library or a "Loops” library as well as a collection of both. This review is about the Master Sessions Ensemble Drums Collection.

Ensemble Drums – Kits

Lets take a look at the Kit part of the collection first. There is what Heavyocity calls "Organic versions” as well as "FX Versions” of the Kit. The kit in itself is the same, it’s just processed a bit different among the different patches. There are 5 menu patches (containing the full kit), 7 single patches and 19 FX versions. Also, for each patch there is a "HI RAM” version as well. Let’s take a deeper look at the "Ens Drums Menu (Organic) – HI RAM” patch.

It weighs in at roughly 426 MB RAM. It has two different bass drums, three toms, a snare and an extra "click kick”. In shear numbers it doesn’t sound so special but when you begin to pound the keys it sounds awesome. Yes it’s missing a hi hat and some other stuff to be called a drum kit but it doesn’t matter, it’s not the focus of MS Ensemble Drums. What it does very well is to add a whole lot of body and SLAM to your palette. Each of the sounds have been recorded with three different mics, you can think of them as close, stage and hall. Each of the sounds can be positioned on a virtual stage and this is where you place them in your mix. Close? Ok. Far away on the left? Ok. Since the drums in the ALL patch all are mapped to two adjacent keys each you can easily setup one that is closer and one a bit further back in the mix.

Heavyocity Master Sessions Ensemble Drums Collection KONTAKT

Since you are given control over the mix of this three mics not just in level but also in stereo placement and pitch (yes you can pitch the far mics up 4-5 semitones for a kind of punchier sound!) as well as separate three-band EQ for each microphone position there is actually little need to have anything but a stereo out from this kit. Brilliant!

For those of you familiar with other libraries from Heavyocity I’m happy to say that yes, the Punish knob is available in MS Ensemble Drums as well. This button alone does about 30% of the sound, no really! Want a dynamic, nice sound? Don’t touch it (well maybe just a tiny bit?). Want a bit grittier and a more in-you-face sound? Put it at 50%. Want to make that famous drum sound from "In the Air Tonight” jealous? Turn it up all the way! Depending on the track you’re working on this button can help you set the atmosphere with a simple little twist. What it does? A bit of distortion and compression at the same time I think, in a very pleasing way (for drum sounds at least).

The other patches in the Kit version works just like the Menu-patch, it’s just separate sounds spread out over a few more keys. They are divided as follow:

Low Drums All.nki

Low Drums Tight.nki

Snares Off.nki

Snares On.nki

Tom Low Rotos n Bass Drums.nki

Toms High.nki

Trap Case n Door.nki

All of the above also comes in HI RAM versions as well as different FX variations.

Ensemble Drums – Loops

The Loops part of the collection is actually divided in two one could say. First there are the "Menu” patches which gives you a different loop per key and then there is the "Singles” patches which gives you one loop with different slices of the loop mapped out on different keys. How you prefer to use it may vary and that the choice even exists is great. Sometimes a single loop split in smaller parts will be the way to go and in other circumstances it will be the loop per key method. Furthermore the loops are divided in "Straight” patches and "Triplet” patches and there is even a "Mutator” variation of each.

Heavyocity Master Sessions Ensemble Drums Collection KONTAKT

In the menu programs each loop has it’s own three-band EQ with gain, frequency and Q-controls. Each loop is also tuneable between -24 to +24 semitones. The ability to pitch with the added ability to EQ each loop on it’s own makes it possible to create some high-pitched driving rhythms with ease, even if the base sound is heavy ensemble drums. The samples have plenty of information in them to shift them in different ways to new sonic places.

Heavyocity Master Sessions Ensemble Drums Collection KONTAKT

The loops also have the "Mutator” which in its most basic form is an arpeggiator or a step sequencer, depending on how you look at it. I would like to call the "Mutator” a kind of sequencing slicer. It gives you control over the loops in a very interesting way. Each step in the sequence can trigger a new slice, either from the loop you’re actually playing or from adjacent notes (loops) on the keyboard. So when you set a step to "-5” you are actually telling it to play different slices from another loop -5 semitones from the one you triggered. Confusing? Yes, at first maybe but after a few minutes you’ll start to grasp the usefulness of this little gem. Read the manual if you’re lost, it explains it all in detail.

This product is part of Big Fish Audio's KLI series which includes a custom Kontakt interface. The Kontakt format includes patches of each sample and loop. Ambient Skyline 3 is split into two sections: "Loops" and One-Shots". In the Loops section, Customize each loop with the "sliced loops" patches.

Big Fish Audio Ambient Skyline 3 KONTAKT

The Sliced Loop patches lay out each individual slice of a loop across the keyboard, making it easy to create new and original custom parts. or create your own unique arrangements using the "loop menu" patches which lay out every loop of a particular section across the keyboard, giving you instant access to a plethora of sounds. The one shots section includes massive one-shot menu patches built from sections featuring 40-212 files. one shot atmospheres are pitched-mapped over 3 octaves for completely original atmospheric soundscapes.

This product is part of Big Fish Audio's KLI series which includes a custom Kontakt interface. The Kontakt format includes patches of each sample and loop. Customize each loop with the "sliced loops" patches. The Sliced Loop patches lay out each individual slice of a loop across the keyboard, making it easy to create new and original custom parts.

The "Kit Combos" allow you to arrange full construction kits quickly and easily with a custom mixer and a host of included fx. Finally, all drum hits have been included in patches of drum menus and drum kits. Create, arrange, tweak, and mix all within the Kontakt format.

Big Fish Audio Ambient Skyline 2 KONTAKT

The KLI version of this product has been updated to KLI 2.0 and comes in both Kontakt 4 and Kontakt 5 versions. For those with the full version of Kontakt 5, take advantage of the new high quality and extremely flexible new time stretching algorithm as well as a bunch of new included FX.

Big Fish Audio is excited to add a library that fits and compliments styles ranging from traditional ethnic music to pumped up RnB and Pop. 62 Construction kits are broken down by instrument to let you choose between using the entire ensemble or just a single instrument loop to spice up your beats. Get ready to put some ethnic flare into your top tracks.

This product is part of Big Fish Audio's KLI series which includes a custom Kontakt interface. The Kontakt format includes patches of each construction kit, allowing for quick and easy arrangements of the parts. In addition there are "sliced loops" patches which lay out each individual slice of a loop on the keys to create new and original custom parts. Create, arrange, tweak, and mix all within the Kontakt format.

Details

- 2.7 GB of total content (1.05 GB of 24-bit original WAV content)

- 393 total loops (before duplication)

- 62 construction kits

Kontakt Version Info:

- Using these Kontakt Patches requires the full version of Kontakt version 4.2 or later.

- Kontakt format includes over 1.16 GB of content with 407 different Kontakt Patches

This audio samples pack combines both the well known sounds with experimental genre-breaking sound design. This huge selection of insane samples will supercharge your music with the power of masterfully crafted sounds. Every kick, snare and and cymbal has been sculpted to sonically sound great straight out of the box.

Each drum loop has its own stems so you can mix the loop to best fit your production. All Royalty Free in Premium Quality of 24-Bit 48khz.

In the late 1970s Quiet Storm began as a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams. Now included in the genre is music with a Hip-Hop infusion, commonly known as Neo Soul. More current artists with a "Quiet Storm" influence include John Legend, D'Angelo, Maxwell, India Arie, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu etc. Today, Quiet Storm is a broad term given to an array of mellow, slow-groove contemporary R&B, organic Soul music with Smooth Jazz offerings.

If you're a producer, artist, music supervisor, songwriter, or DJ looking for unique retro-organic music loops, then look no further than Quiet Storm.

This product is part of Big Fish Audio's KLI series which includes a custom Kontakt interface. The Kontakt format includes patches of each loop. Customize each loop with the "sliced loops" patches. The Sliced Loop patches lay out each individual slice of a loop across the keyboard, making it easy to create new and original custom parts. The "Kit Combos" allow you to arrange full construction kits quickly and easily with a custom mixer and a host of included fx. Create, arrange, tweak, and mix all within the Kontakt format.

MULTI-FORMAT

- 12 Construction Kits: All kits recorded in tempos ranging from 60bpm to 120bpm.

- Total Content: 5.8GB

- WAV Loops: 1.3 GB (302 Files)

- Apple Loops: 1.3GB (302 Files)

- REX Loops: 600MB (324 Files)

- RMX Loops: 1.9GB (324 Files)

KONTAKT FORMAT

- The FULL version of Kontakt 4.2 or higher is required to use the KLI Version of this product. Does not work with the KONTAKT PLAYER.

- Demo Patch - There is a Demo Patch which provides the user with all of the demos from each of the song kits in one instrument. Demos are mapped starting at C2 on the keyboard.

- Kit Combos - 12 patches are included in the Kit Combos section. Each patch contains all the loops from that construction kit to create quick and easy arrangements. Loops start at C2 on the keyboard.

- Sliced Loops - Each loop from the product has been given its own patch and can be edited extensively using the "loop fx” interface. The full loop can be triggered at C0. The loop can be played backward at D0. Individual slices start at C1 on the keyboard.

Want Jason McGerr, drummer for Death Cab for Cutie, to play on your next track? Might be a problem. But if you'll settle for his drumming, his sound and his studio in ReFill form, there's always Jason McGerr Sessions.

All the Styles, All the Time

The Jason McGerr Sessions ReFill contains beats and rhythms suitable for a wide spectrum of musical styles; if you're looking for live played drums for your track, you'll find them here. It's that simple. A versatile drummer and a lover of good music in general, Jason provides you with drum loops and kits whose sound and playing styles range from basic bread 'n' butter pop beats through hip hop to live played glitch (!).

FLEX Files

The Jason McGerr Sessions Refill was created specifically for Reason, and with Reason users needs in mind. Which becomes evident the moment you load it up. For instance, each of the featured drum loops comes with a multi-sampled kit made up of individual, full release sounds - letting you combine REX loops and indidvidual hits, for maximum flexibility. Need we add that every multi-sampled kit is available in close as well as ambience versions? Probably not.

On Location Drums

Every sound heard on Jason McGerr Sessions was recorded in Jason's own Two Sticks Recording Studio in Seattle, the very studio used to track the drums on the upcoming and highly anticipated Deathcab For Cutie album. The Sessions were recorded using Class A mics, preamps and outboard gear, capturing faithfully not only Jason McGerr's drums, but also the air and ambience of the room surrounding them.

CONTENTS:

More than 450 unique REX Loop variations, fills, lead-ins and endings, each with close and ambience version - Total number of REX Loops is over 900.

- More than 2,000 individual drum samples

- Three different versions of every drum kit. Can be used on their own or in various combinations

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